Contemporary Research Analysis Journal

The Cameroonian urban road safety lies at the crossroads of surging mobility demands, a dominant informal transport sector (taxis, motorcycle-taxis), and infrastructure modernisation imperatives. This paper analyses the evolution of local governance in Yaounde, Douala, Bertoua, and Garoua, where road safety is increasingly framed through urban planning and technological control. Based on an exclusively qualitative, multi-sited methodology (semi-structured interviews, ethnographic observations, and documentary analysis), the study examines the impacts of physical restructuring (Yaounde Cœur de Ville, BRT, MoVe), digital tracability (digital tagging, CCTV surveillance), and flow regulation (zoning, entry of ride-hailing platforms like Yango). The study identifies a significant “risk displacement” phenomenon, wherein the spatial restriction of informal mobility within metropolitan cores appears to correlate with an increased frequency of traffic-related incidents in peri-central, infrastructure-deficient areas. Furthermore, the research demonstrates that the effectiveness of these policies is hampered by institutional fragmentation among ministries and local authorities due to the lack of a unified Urban Transport Authority. In conclusion, the paper advocates for integrating road safety directly into master urban plans, supported by effective fiscal decentralisation for municipalities.

Road safety, Urban governance, Informal transport, Urban planning, Cameroon.

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